1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to anchor systems and, more particularly, to an improved manner of fastening a sign post or the like in a securely supported condition relative an underlying foundation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is desired to provide a convenient device to facilitate the mounting of a post or standard in a stationary manner relative to an underlying foundation such as a floor, pavement or the ground. The post or standard may be associated with any of numerous devices for example, flags, signs of any type, fence posts, crowd or traffic control barricades, just to mention a few examples. The most basic technique employed to mount a post is of course to bore or otherwise excavate a hole or opening in the foundation upon which it is desired to mount a post. This procedure is obviously quite labor intensive and is usually utilized only in situations wherein the post is desired to be more or less permanently mounted in any one location. However, in many instances it is desired to only mount a particular post in a temporary situation and wherein it is expected that the post will either be removed or, another post supporting a different sign or the like will be substituted at the same location. When an excavated hole is used in cases as above, often it is necessary to bring special equipment to the scene in order to remove the existing fixed post, and then other preparations may be required when the substituted post is of a greater or lesser cross-sectional mass than the former post.
Many post mounting or attachment systems are known but few offer the adaptability and scale of economy presented by the system of the present invention. To be adaptable, a mounting system should readily accommodate posts of varying diameters as well as alternative lengths without requiring replacement of all its primary components, and should not require any special tools or skill to carry out the attachment of a post therewith. And to be economical, inexpensive components must be called for, without any intricate manufacturing steps being involved.
An early example of a post mounting system will be found in U.S. Pat. No. 1,982,569 issued Nov. 27, 1934, to Byrd, wherein a socket element disposed within the ground receives the lower end of a post, while a two-piece sleeve having a bottom flange portion respectively clampingly engaging an intermediate section of the post, and abuts the top of the buried socket element. The Byrd construction is unlike the instant system wherein a lower most pipe element is provided with an integral configuration allowing of selective radial deflection about an inserted post, upon the manipulation of a separate compression member.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,784,015 issued Mar. 5, 1957, to Swanson illustrates a pole supporting base member wherein a pole inserted within the bore of the base member is retained by means of a plurality of upper and lower wedges respectively and individually drawn together upon the tightening of bolts spanning opposed pairs of the upper and lower wedges. This arrangement is totally dissimilar to the instant construction utilizing an integral compression element operable to apply a simultaneous, inwardly clamping action upon a plurality of segments at the end of an anchor base.
Another post support will be found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,066,769 issued to Pasquale on Dec. 4, 1962, and although not directed to positive fixation between a post and the support, does depict an example of diametrically opposed wing or fin elements facilitating its use. These wing elements are permanently attached to the support, and serve in this reference as extensions of the support which may be used to drive the support axially into the ground, unlike the present invention wherein wing elements are provided on a separate compression member, and are used to permit rotation of the compression member during its application or removal.
A further example of the use of wedge elements serving to secure a post or the like within a support member is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 3,335,534 issued to Hester et al. on Aug. 15, 1967. A pair of wedge shaped segments cooperate with a fixed circular support base having a tapered socket portion cooperating with the wedge segments to clamp a post there within. This construction departs from that being taught herein and wherein a unitary compression member having a tapered interior portion is applied exteriorly of the top of an anchor base to radially deflect and bias a plurality of segments on the anchor base in clamping engagement with an inserted post.
Another example of camming means employed to secure a pole to a base will be found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,579,936 issued May 25, 1971, to Andersson. In this reference, a concrete base is formed and provided with a socket for receiving a pole which is then retained by a plurality of pairs of camming devices respectively connected together with tie rods. The instant development differs from the above considerably in that no pairs of wedge elements requiring tie rods are involved.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,110 issued to Tucker on Dec. 27, 1988 is directed to a building structure and its foundation. A base or socket member embedded in concrete is formed with an inclined side wall and between this wall and an inserted post or column, is disposed a wedge that is driven downwardly to obtain a secure attachment. With the present invention, no separate wedge element is driven between a post and its anchor or socket, but instead, a compression member is applied atop an anchor to produce a radial deflection of split segments on the anchor top into clamping engagement with an inserted post.
French Patent No. 571,895 dated May 26, 1924, depicts a further example of a lower, socket member provided with a bore for receiving a post or pole, and wherein retention is achieved through the use of a plurality of circumferentially spaced wedge elements which are driven into a clamping mode by the manipulation of individual nuts engaging the threads of a bolt. This is contrary to the present arrangement wherein a unitary compression collar serves to deflect a plurality of segments integral with the top of the socket or anchor member.
In French Patent No. 1,058,216 dated Mar. 15, 1954, one elongated member is disposed within a surrounding elongated member and secured thereto through the application of a plurality of wedge elements driven downwardly intermediate the two elongated members and a cooperating outer inclined portion on the surrounding member. This departs from the current system wherein a single outer most compression member provides the sole clamping action to bias the slotted top portion of an anchor member against as inserted pole.
In the case of Swedish Patent No. 191,231 dated Sep. 1, 1964, another example will be seen of a post support including a base member having a socket and within which is disposed a post that is secured through the application of a pair of surrounding wedge elements, all situated within the confines of the socket. Such construction vastly departs from the current construction which involves an outer compression ring serving to radially deflect split segments formed on the upper portion of the anchor member.
Several other references are noted for disclosures teaching signage support structure or mere joint making schemes. U.S. Pat. No. 443,053 issued Dec. 16, 1890, to McCallum, discloses a jointed lamp post. U.S. Pat. No. 1,301,475 issued Apr. 22, 1919, to Mellin, discloses an adjustable gear shift lever. U.S. Pat. No. 1,890,151 issued Dec. 6, 1932, to Hadley, discloses a muffler mounting and exhaust pipe bushing. U.S. Pat. No. 1,938,974 issued Dec. 12, 1933, to Oldberg, discloses a muffler pipe bushing. U.S. Pat. No. 1,974,813 issued Sep. 25, 1934, to Grawoig, discloses a pipe bushing for exhaust systems. U.S. Pat. No. 2,679,911 issued Jun. 1, 1954, to Bhend, discloses a television antenna supporting structure. U.S. Pat. No. 3,119,588 issued Jan. 28, 1964, to Keats, discloses a temporary sign post stand having a weighted type base. U.S. Pat. No. 3,377,765 issued Apr. 16, 1968, to Greeley, discloses a sectional pole antenna. U.S. Pat. No. 3,381,635 issued May 7, 1968, to Pforr, discloses a portable chair having a ground engaging support base. U.S. Pat. No. 3,876,320 issued Apr. 8, 1975, to Phillipson, discloses a fishing rod handle joint. U.S. Pat. No. 3,952,878 issued Apr. 27, 1976, to Gorham, discloses a collapsible gun stand. U.S. Pat. No. 3,969,853 issued Jul. 20, 1976, to Deike, discloses a finned sign post or cable anchor. U.S. Pat. No. 4,543,757 issued Oct. 1, 1985, to Cosgrove, discloses a fence post anchoring support. U.S. Pat. No. 4,785,593 issued Nov. 22, 198, to Munoz, Jr., discloses a building column support anchor. U.S. Pat. No. 5,163,676 issued Nov. 17, 1992, to Taub, discloses a portable basketball goal and stand. U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,175 issued May 4, 1993, to Andonian, discloses a spring loaded sign post structure. U.S. Pat. No. 5,337,989 issued Aug. 16, 1994, to Apple, discloses a pole stand having a pair of locking pivot arms for securing the assemblage thereof. U.S. Pat. No. 5,540,017 issued Jul. 30, 1996, to Eilam et al., discloses a telescopic flagpole. U.S. Pat. No. 5,571,229 issued Nov. 5, 1996, to Fitzsimmons et al., discloses a ground inserted support structure for poles. French patent document no. 801,895, published Aug. 20, 1936, shows a sectional antenna. British patent document no. 14,210, published Aug. 26, 1893, shows a structure for forming a joint between two tube ends of dissimilar diameter. British patent document no. 16,318, published Jun. 5, 1913, shows a sleeve for maintaining electrical continuity in conductive pipes. British patent document no. 29,174, published Sep. 10, 1898, shows a mechanism for mounting a split pulley on a shaft. British patent document no. 1,575,295, published Sep. 17, 1980, shows an anchor support with a rubber bushing for corrosion prevention. Swiss patent document no. 373,904, published Jan. 31, 1964, shows a telescopic support stand for diverse articles.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in any combination, is seen to even remotely suggest or describe the instant invention as claimed herein.